Sir, – Dublin City Council should not be given a role in the running of Fitzwilliam Square park, as the council has ruined the nearby once beautiful Merrion Square park ("Fitzwilliam Square may become public park under council plans", News, April 10th).
Over the past number of years Merrion Square park has been butchered, with nearly all its perimeter hedgerows removed. Merrion Square used to be one of the best places in the city to hear the dawn chorus but then that habitat was removed. The Merrion Square park has been “opened up” on all sides to the views, smells, noise and light pollution from the surrounding traffic. Mountjoy Square has not fared much better; it too has been given the sterile “opening up” treatment with its bird and insect cover removed. Please leave the wonderful Fitzwilliam Square park with its current owners; they obviously know what they are doing. – Yours, etc,
JOHN DEVLIN,
Dublin 2.